Louise was crowned Mareeba Rodeo Princess of 1972. Her aunt used the photo from The Cairns Post to enter her into the Tobacco Queen contest.

She won.

Flying out of the old Hoevet Field airstrip, her aunt as her chaperone, she felt like a movie star. Despite the heat, she wore a mauve twinset. Her gloves were pristine.

The man from Rothmans met them on the tarmac at Kingsford Smith. Driving into town for her first official function, Louise looked at the girls. They wore bright patterned dresses, flared tartan trousers. Everything was bold, loud.

None of them wore gloves.

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